Before You
by Nordryd
Summary: **Sequel to Loveliest of Trees** Coppermane hasn't been himself lately. He's become distant. Quiet... somber... like when he first came to Canterlot High. As his girlfriend, it's Fluttershy's duty to make him feel better, & ask him why he's become so silent. But the reason why can be traced way back to Crystal Prep, and might be a main source of his scarring, depression, and fear.
1. Scars

**Hi everyone! I'm back with another Coppermane & Fluttershy story. **_**Colors of the Sun**_ **is on hiatus, but I really wanted to write something with the couple that got me started in the first place. Just to clarify, this story takes place before** _ **Colors of the Sun**_ **(trickling into it slightly) and after** _ **Amorous**_ **. I** _ **do**_ **have a plan for the oneshot as far as what OC I'm going to use, but I still need to work out the kinks. In the meantime, I can write this!**

 **I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I** _ **do**_ **own Coppermane and the plot.**

* * *

Before You

Ch.1: Scars

It was an early Saturday afternoon at the Canterlot Mall, and the place was packed. Groups of friends, couples, and families roamed the premises, shopping at the stores, eating in the food court, or just walking around and talking.

One place that was filled to the brim was the arcade. Either guys playing shooters, little kids trying to win the crane game (failing more often than not), or in one particular case, playing skee ball to win a ton of tickets for a prize. This particular case involved nobody else but Coppermane.

"C'mon, only a few more tickets," Coppermane said.

It'd been a couple hours since he started, and it's thanks to all the quarters he brought with him that he's been able to go for so long. He almost had enough tickets to get a stuffed animal from the prize corner. He wasn't one for stuffed animals… but Fluttershy certainly was, and tomorrow was their ten-month anniversary. _Ten months_ with the most amazing girl in existence! Coppermane could hardly believe it.

Ten months ago, Coppermane's life went from pathetic and worthless to amazing and beautiful, just like the girl responsible. Fluttershy has given him so much: friends, love, and most important of all, a reason to live. If she never helped him on that fateful day, Coppermane wouldn't even be playing skee ball right now. And Coppermane was going to do everything in his power to give Fluttershy an amazing day tomorrow to show her how thankful he is. To be honest, Coppermane would never be able to fully thank Fluttershy for everything she's done for him, but he'd be damned if he didn't try.

And he would start their special date by buttering her up with a big dinner, and then end it with tons of gifts: a new stuffed animal, jewelry, candy, flowers, a romantic love letter, a coupon for a day of shopping where he'll buy her whatever she wants, and other textbook dating gifts. He couldn't wait to see Fluttershy's face when she saw all the presents.

He was only a few tickets short, and he was on his very last throw. He bit his lip, harnessing all the concentration he could muster. His eyes fixated on the 100 cup as he gripped the skee ball in his hand. His mind went crazy, doing rudimentary calculations to determine the proper force, angle of trajectory, and velocity to ensure he got the final 100 points he needed for Fluttershy's new stuffed animal.

Gritting his teeth, he swung his arm, throwing the ball onto the lane. With amazing precision, the ball landed perfectly in the 100 cup, earning him the rest of the tickets he needed.

"Yes!" Coppermane cheered. He caught people giving him weird looks from his sudden outburst. He blushed profusely as he scooped his tickets in his arm, bolting for the ticket receipt machine to avoid everyone's attention.

After feeding the tickets into the machine, it spat out a receipt that read 501 tickets. He went to the prize corner, and picked the cream-colored, pink-maned stuffed pegasus. A stuffed animal that looked just like Fluttershy. Uncanny, but _perfect_.

With gift number one out of the way, he was on his way out of the arcade to find her other gifts.

* * *

 _THE NEXT DAY_

Coppermane and Fluttershy sat across from each other at the fanciest restaurant in town. It was in the city, and would be a little expensive, but it was a perfect way to spend their anniversary. For such a special occasion, it was worth it.

As they waited on their food, they took the time just to gaze into each other's eyes. They both dressed up in their outfits from the Fall Formal, and Coppermane couldn't help but notice how beautiful Fluttershy looked. Fluttershy was liking how sharp Coppermane looked too.

They interlaced fingers, resting their joined hands on the table as they admired their significant other.

"Coppermane… thank you so much for bringing me here," Fluttershy said.

"Anything for you, Fluttershy," Coppermane said, squeezing her hand.

"This is going to be really expensive, Coppermane," Fluttershy said. "Can I _please_ help you pay?"

Coppermane shook his head. "Not a chance. This is on me."

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy groaned.

"I insist, Fluttershy," Coppermane said. "My goal today is to pamper you, regardless of the cost."

Fluttershy blushed when she received a wink from Coppermane. "You're just too sweet."

Coppermane's face matched Fluttershy's hue. "I mean… I _guess_ …"

Fluttershy giggled. "You _are_ , Coppermane. You're the sweetest guy I've ever met."

Coppermane only blushed harder, looking away for a split-second. He knew he wasn't special, but Fluttershy sure made him feel that way.

Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at Coppermane's shyness. It was still the cutest thing ever.

"Are you ready for school next Monday?" Fluttershy asked.

"Eh… not really," Coppermane said. "But… I have _you_ now."

Fluttershy smiled. "You sure do. And I'll make sure no meanie ever hurts you. And you have everyone else too."

Coppermane smiled. "I promise to keep you safe as well," he lifted her hand up to kiss it. "No matter what."

Fluttershy giggled as he kissed her hand. It was such a cute gesture, and always made her giddy.

And right then, their food arrived. A big sirloin steak and fries for Coppermane, and a garden salad for Fluttershy.

Fluttershy giggled when she saw Coppermane practically drooling over his steak. In the blink of an eye, he began cutting into it and devouring it. He's probably the fastest eater she's ever met. She could only roll her eyes and snicker. That's her Coppermane.

Fluttershy started digging into her salad. When she was about a quarter of the way through, Coppermane was about three-quarters through his steak.

"My goodness, Coppermane, you're going to make yourself sick," Fluttershy said.

Coppermane looked down, and saw how little of his meal remained.

"Oh…" Coppermane said, chuckling. "I guess I could slow down a bit."

Fluttershy smiled, and giggled a bit. He could be so silly sometimes.

"Here," Fluttershy said, bringing a forkful of lettuce up and pointing it at Coppermane. "Eat some salad, just to balance things out a little."

Coppermane feigned annoyance by rolling his eyes. "Do I _have_ to?" he asked, smirking.

Fluttershy rose an eyebrow, making Coppermane chuckle. She brought the fork closer to him, and he met her halfway, eating the lettuce off the fork.

"Thanks," Coppermane said. "Want a fry?"

"Sure!" Fluttershy said. Coppermane held a fry out to her, and Fluttershy took a bite right out of it. She couldn't help but giggle. She loved it when he fed her.

After a few more minutes of talking, laughing, and flirting, they paid the check and left the restaurant. Fluttershy tried insisting on helping Coppermane pay the bill again, but he refused once again. It took some coaxing, but he reluctantly let her pay the tip.

To pamper Fluttershy even more, Coppermane carried Fluttershy out of the restaurant and to the car; something both parties loved. Fluttershy loved being held bridal-style by Coppermane, and Coppermane loved holding her. Plus, their faces were close enough for quick kisses as Coppermane walked. It was perfect!

Coppermane placed Fluttershy down behind his car, and gave her a big hug, which she immediately reciprocated.

"Thank you, Coppermane," Fluttershy said, nuzzling his chest. "That was delicious."

"Anything for my princess," Coppermane said. "Ready to go back to my place? I have a surprise waiting for you."

Fluttershy gasped. "A surprise? Really? Oh Coppermane, what else could you possibly do to make this night more wonderful?"

"You'll see when we get back," Coppermane said.

And with that, Coppermane opened the passenger door for her, and closed it once she was safely inside. He got in on the driver's side, and with that, they were off to his house, where the rest of their date would take place.

* * *

Fluttershy waited outside Coppermane's front door as he unlocked it. She could hardly contain how excited she was to see what her prince had in store for her.

"You ready?" Coppermane asked.

"Mmmhmm!" Fluttershy said.

"Close your eyes," Coppermane said.

"Okay," Fluttershy said, shutting her eyes.

"Watch your step," Coppermane said, squeezing her hand.

Fluttershy heard the front door open, and felt Coppermane guide her carefully. She's been in Coppermane's house enough to know the general layout. For some reason, she was being led to the living room. He stopped walking, and positioned her accordingly. She couldn't stop smiling. She was so excited.

She felt Coppermane let go of her. "Alright, open your eyes."

Fluttershy did just that, and gasped at what she saw.

Laid out on the couch was an assortment of gifts. Not one… but several, and none of them looked cheap. One gift would've been more than plenty, but this was just amazing. A big stuffed pegasus, two bouquets of red and white roses (on the coffee table), a jewelry box, boxes of her favorite candies, and a letter.

"Coppermane…" Fluttershy cooed. "You shouldn't have…"

"It's all for you, Fluttershy," Coppermane said. "Go ahead. Some of them still need to be opened."

Fluttershy smiled, and tried to hold back her tears at the sheer number of gifts on the couch. She walked over, and picked up the first jewelry box. She opened it up, and gasped when she saw a beautiful bracelet, made of turquoise colored stones, and a single teal gem.

"Oh my goodness… it's beautiful," Fluttershy said, still fighting tears.

"Here," Coppermane said, walking over to put it on for her.

Fluttershy giggled as he put her new bracelet on for her. Her tears were getting harder and harder to hold back.

"Almost as beautiful as you," Coppermane said, making Fluttershy's face heat up.

"Coppermane… thank you so much," Fluttershy cooed.

Coppermane smiled and gave her a tender kiss.

"Only one more thing," Coppermane said. He leaned down, and picked up the envelope, colored light green with a graphic of three pink butterflies.

Fluttershy gladly accepted the letter, still trying to fight her tears. The amount of gifts was overwhelming. She opened it up, eager to see what was inside. She pulled out a card, and opened it up to find a message, and a small, stray pieces of paper.

"What are these?" Fluttershy asked, examining the pieces of paper.

 ** _Coupon: Redeemable for a day of Shopping. Your prince will go with you to the mall, and buy you whatever you want. A princess like you deserves nice things, and your prince intends to give it to you. Redeemable at any time. And your prince loves you :D_**

 ** _Coupon: Redeemable for a hug/kiss from your prince. Can be redeemed infinitely many times._**

Fluttershy giggled, sniffling from the tears building up behind her eyes. Coupons for affection. This was probably one of the cutest things she's ever gotten from him. She turned her attention to the note, which finally forced a tear out.

 ** _Fluttershy,_**

 ** _Ten months ago, my life was nothing. I was lost, and had nowhere to go. I thought I was worthless. But then you came, and showed me the light for the first time. And for the last few months, you've made me the happiest guy in the world. You're my best friend, and the love of my life. You give my life meaning. I feel so humbled to call the sweetest, kindest, prettiest, most amazing girl in the world my princess. I can't wait to see what fate has in store for us next. Whatever it is, I know it'll be amazing, because I'll have you by my side._**

 ** _With all my love,  
Your Coppermane_**

Fluttershy's tears could no longer be contained. Without a second thought, she gave Coppermane a huge, passionate kiss, throwing her arms around him. Coppermane wrapped his arms around her, and followed her every move. She could feel his passion radiate from his lips, making her melt in his arms. Tears continued to stream down her face, trickling onto Coppermane's cheek, but he didn't seem to mind at all.

"I love you so much," Fluttershy said, immediately kissing Coppermane again.

Fluttershy felt Coppermane's lips slowly take over the kiss, making her moan.

"I love you more," Coppermane said, kissing her again. "Happy ten months."

Before Fluttershy could even think, Coppermane returned to kissing her, making her moan. Nothing felt better than her prince's kisses. Every time he kissed her, she felt loved and beautiful. She caressed his shoulders in return to show her how much she can love him.

Fluttershy couldn't have asked for a more magical anniversary date if she tried.

* * *

 _ONE WEEK LATER_

Summer was coming to an end. Today was the last day before CHS started the school year. For Coppermane and Fluttershy, it had been one enjoyable summer. They decided to spend their last day of summer together, going to the beach, dinner, and now just hanging out in Coppermane's room, cuddling.

But something was off. Ever since their ten-month anniversary, Coppermane has been acting… strange. For some reason, he's been strangely… depressed. Despite this being their last week of summer, she hasn't seen him hardly at all. When she did see him, like when they went to the beach, he was unusually somber.

He's been acting a lot like when they first started dating. Still recovering from depression, and being scared.

Fluttershy figured their beach visit would be a good way to cheer him up. Sure, they didn't do anything similar to their _last_ visit, with Coppermane giving Fluttershy an accidentally sensual massage and getting to second base, but she figured at least wearing her two-piece swimsuit for him would help make him happy. But that didn't work.

What's worse is that he won't talk to her. Even right now as she cuddled with him, he wasn't saying a word. They've cuddled in silence plenty of times before, but this time it just felt… cold. Fluttershy could see some kind of pain in Coppermane's eyes, and it made the atmosphere very somber.

Did something happen this week? Why was he being so quiet? Was he trying to distance himself from her?

"Coppermane?" Fluttershy asked.

"Hmm?" Coppermane grunted, not even sparing a glance.

"Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked.

Finally, Coppermane looked at her, and his eyes were dark.

"Um… y-yeah… why wouldn't I be?" Coppermane asked.

Fluttershy wasn't buying it. She sat up, and looked Coppermane dead in the eye.

"Coppermane, something's wrong. I can see it in your eyes," Fluttershy said. "You've been sad all week."

Coppermane had no response. He just bit his lip and looked away.

"Coppermane?" Fluttershy cooed. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything, remember?"

Coppermane sighed, and sat up, leaning back on the bedframe. He brought his knees up and held them in his arms, looking down. He looked hurt. Fluttershy whimpered, and moved closer to him, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Coppermane, please. Let me help you," Fluttershy coaxed. "I can't let you go back to school feeling depressed. If you're sad, I'm sad."

Fluttershy felt a tug at her heartstrings when she saw a tear fall from Coppermane's eye.

"Coppermane," Fluttershy said, wiping his ear, "Will you talk to me? Let me help you. Please." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I only want to make my prince happy. I love you."

Those three words finally made Coppermane look at her. His eyes were bloodshot, shiny with tears.

He let out a long sigh, and pursed his lips.

"S-Sorry… I… I just have a lot on my mind," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy smiled. He was talking now.

"Like what?" Fluttershy asked. "What's going on in that cute little head?"

Fluttershy saw a small, yet sincere smile appear on Coppermane's face, but it was short-lived.

Coppermane sighed. "Fluttershy… um… how have I been doing?"

Fluttershy looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"A-As your boyfriend," Coppermane said. "Have I been… adequate?"

Fluttershy smiled. "Coppermane, don't be silly," she said, taking his hand in hers. "You've been _more_ than adequate. I couldn't ask for a better boyfriend if I tried." She gave him a tender kiss on the cheek.

Coppermane pursed his lips. "So… you're not thinking about… l-leaving me?"

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "What? Leave you?"

"I feel like you're not telling me something," Coppermane said. "Like… there's one fatal flaw I have that's a deal breaker for you."

Fluttershy couldn't believe her ears. "Coppermane, why are you asking such questions? I told you that I would always be here for you, and that I would never leave you." She gave him a tender kiss. "I love you with all my heart. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

It took a moment, but a small smile appeared on Coppermane's face, making Fluttershy smile too. Unfortunately, this smile was also short-lived.

"So they _were_ just stupid questions," Coppermane said.

"Coppermane, stop bullying yourself like this," Fluttershy said. "I can't bear to see you do this to yourself."

Coppermane looked down at the bed, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"Coppermane, did something happen this week?" Fluttershy said. "Something to make you question whether or not I love you?"

Coppermane pursed his lips, and a tear escaped his eye.

"I… I ran into someone from my past," Coppermane said. "Someone from Crystal Prep."

"Neon Lights?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane shook his head. "No. Someone else."

"Someone else?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane nodded, looking shameful. "Fluttershy, you know I love you, right?"

Fluttershy managed a small smile. "Of course I do."

Coppermane squeezed her hand. "Well… what if I told you… in the past at Crystal Prep… there was someone else I used to love… almost as much as I love you now?"

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "Someone… _else_?"

"I don't have feelings for them now," Coppermane said, "but there was a girl back at Crystal Prep whom I used to be head over heels for."

"Really?" Fluttershy cooed.

"Yeah," Coppermane said. "Before you… there was Sunny Flare."

* * *

 **I don't know, this chapter seems a little all over the place, and kind of bad to me. It's a lot shorter than my other Coppermane & Fluttershy things, that's for sure. I wrote this somewhat impromptu, and I think it shows. It was fun to write more fluff with them though. More is definitely planned. This is just setting the stage. Nevertheless, I feel like it's kind of lazy.**

 **Either way, I hope you all liked it somewhat. Stay tuned for the next chapter. It'll be better than this, I promise.**

 **Peace out!**


	2. Before You

**Glad everyone liked the first chapter of this short story. I had a lot of fun writing the first chapter. I forgot how much I love writing interactions between Coppermane and Fluttershy. Hopefully I can do some of the things Coppermane does for Fluttershy someday for a girl of my own. So what will happen between Coppermane and Fluttershy? Keep reading and find out!**

 **I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I** _ **do**_ **own Coppermane and the plot.**

* * *

Before You

Ch.2: Before You

"Yeah," Coppermane said. "Before you… there was Sunny Flare."

"Sunny Flare?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane nodded. "One of the most popular girls at CHS… and I was totally in love with her."

"Really?" Fluttershy asked.

"Mmmhmm," Coppermane said. "She was everything I wanted. Smart, pretty, talente—" he stopped when he noticed Fluttershy looking down. It didn't take long for him to realize what he'd been doing.

He surprised Fluttershy with a quick, but tender kiss. It left her with a shocked expression on her face. He gave her a smile and caressed her cheek.

"Sorry, I didn't realize what I was doing," Coppermane said, stroking her cheek. "So, before I go any further, just remember how much I love you, okay? You're the only one for me. The sweetest, most beautiful girl in the world. My princess."

It took a moment, but Fluttershy eventually smiled, bringing relief to Coppermane.

"I-I love you too," Fluttershy said. "Sorry. Please… go on."

Coppermane sighed, recalling what he was talking about earlier.

"So… I had a huge crush on Sunny. She was all I wanted… and I was willing to do anything to get her to notice me."

"Like what?" Fluttershy asked.

"Like…" Coppermane said. "Like…" He sounded like he was choking on his words.

"Like…?" Fluttershy coaxed. Coppermane wasn't responding anymore. His head slowly tilted down, and his face grew more… shameful?

She felt a tug on her heartstrings when a shiny teardrop trickled down Coppermane's cheek, accompanied with a sniffle.

"Oh, Coppermane," Fluttershy cooed. "Coppermane… don't cry…" She felt tears welling up in her own eyes at the sight of her boyfriend crying. It was too much to bear. She did the only thing she could think of to cheer him up. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him kisses on the cheek to dry his tears. "Please don't cry, Coppermane," she cooed, kissing his cheek again. "I'm here. I'm here for you. Don't cry…"

Fluttershy went in for another kiss on Coppermane's cheek, and was surprised when she was met with his lips instead. But she didn't mind one bit. It was just a peck, but Coppermane was looking at her again, instead of hanging his head down. His bloodshot eyes tugged at her heartstrings, though.

Coppermane sniffled. "S-Sorry…"

Fluttershy offered a smile, and another kiss on the cheek. "Coppermane, please. I'm here to make you feel better. Let me help you. Talk to me."

It took a moment, but eventually Coppermane offered a small, yet sincere smile. He took a deep, shaky breath, accompanied by a sniffle.

"I was willing to do anything to get Sunny Flare's attention," Coppermane said, shedding another tear. "Like… like make a complete ass out of myself…"

* * *

 _Coppermane sifted through his locker to get his things ready for his next class. As he got the last book he needed, he saw something that made his heart skip a beat._

 _There, standing a few lockers down, was the beautiful Sunny Flare, along with a couple of her friends._

 _Coppermane hid behind his locker. He tried being discreet as he admired Sunny. It was a little creepy to be doing this, but he couldn't help it. Sunny was just… gorgeous. The Crystal Prep uniform looked so great on her. She had such cute lavender hair and beautiful purple eyes. The poised, proper attitude of hers was enchanting, especially the way she called everyone "dearie"._

 _Suddenly, Sunny and her friends began walking his way. He gasped, and acted like he was sifting through his locker, and not staring. She walked by, and the sweet smell of lilac filled the air, exciting his senses. He couldn't help himself from watching her walk away too. She strutted down the hall, subtly sashaying her hips as she chatted with her friends._

 _He blinked, stopping himself from gawking at Sunny. He scolded himself for being such a creep._

 _What chance would he have with a girl like Sunny Flare anyways? She was among the most popular girls in school, along with her friends: Indigo Zap, Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, and Lemon Zest. Coppermane was just… a nobody. He had nothing special to his name. He was pretty much invisible to everyone who didn't enjoy jumping him._

 _It was just a matter of getting Sunny to notice him. But Coppermane could barely muster the courage to raise his hand in class, let alone talk to a pretty girl._

 _How could he do it? He's looked up online to research how to talk to a girl, and they all said to just go up and talk to her. Go up and talk to her? It's not that easy… right?_

 _Coppermane shut his locker to go to his next class._

" _Oof!" he grunted, running into someone next to him. "Oh gosh… s-sorry, I—"_

 _His heart stopped when he realized_ who _he bumped into. They turned around, and had a noticeably disgusted expression on their face._

" _N-N-Neon…" Coppermane cooed._

 _Neon took his sunglasses off, and his gaze pierced Coppermane's waning confidence like daggers. Neon picked Coppermane up by his shirt._

" _Guess what's gonna happen now, LOSER," Neon barked._

" _I-It was an accident! I sw—" the last thing Coppermane remembered was being thrown against the lockers._

* * *

 _This was the day. Sunny was right there…_ alone _. It was time._

 _He's done research, and he got the same results each time. Walk up and talk to her. Put a name to a face. Make yourself visible to her._

 _It would be a huge step to take, but if all his research came up the same, then maybe it really_ was _just that easy. Maybe he was making a big deal over nothing._

 _The sound of a locker closing snapped him out of his thoughts. It was Sunny's locker. He looked to his side, and his heart stopped. She was coming this way!_

 _Coppermane's mind went into overdrive. His breathing became rapid and irregular. This was his chance! She was coming right this way!_

 _He glimpsed her lavender hair out of his peripheral vision. He turned to look in her direction, and his heart felt like it just ignited with a raging fire. She was right there! And she was getting away!_

 _Say something! Anything! Get her attent—_

" _Sunny!" Coppermane shouted, his mind working on its own._

 _Sunny stopped walking, and turned around._

" _Who said my name?" Sunny asked out lout. "Was it you?"_

 _Her eyes lilac eyes landed on Coppermane, and his heart stopped. She was looking at him! He had her attention._

" _Um… i-it was me…" Coppermane stuttered._

" _Oh, hi," Sunny said. "Wait… do I know you?"_

 _Coppermane's eyes went wide. She_ knew _him?_

" _Um… I-I mean… m-maybe?" Coppermane stammered._

 _Sunny approached Coppermane, making his heartrate increase as she lessened the distance between them._

" _Yeah, I do know you," Sunny said. "You're the guy who's always getting beat up, right?"_

 _Coppermane's bit his lip._ That's _how she knew him._

" _Um… yeah… I am," Coppermane said. "I-I wanted to tell you something…"_

 _Sunny looked at him quizzically. "Um… okay. What is it, dearie?"_

 _Coppermane tried not to melt upon hearing Sunny call him "dearie"._

" _Um… I just wanted to say… that you… uh…" Coppermane fought hard against the lump in his throat._

" _Yes?" Sunny coaxed. "Spit it out."_

 _Coppermane grit his teeth, fighting with every fiber of his being to not freeze._

" _That you… h-have really pretty eyes," Coppermane said._

 _His brain went into overdrive, imagining every possible scenario. What was she going to do? Tell him off? Slap him? Laugh at him? What was going on in that pretty head?_

 _But instead it was completely different. She smirked at him, and flipped her hair._

" _Well, thank you, dearie," Sunny said. "That's very nice of you to say."_

 _Coppermane's eyes went wide as his heart soared. "R-Really?"_

 _Sunny nodded. "Sure. What's your name?"_

 _Coppermane tried his best not to shout in excitement. "Um… my name is… C-Coppermane."_

" _Well, thanks for the compliment, Coppermane," Sunny said. "I'll see you later."_

" _Y-Yeah… s-see you later," Coppermane said._

 _Sunny gave him another smirk, and walked away. This time, Coppermane noticed her walking with a bit more of an apparent sashay in her hips, entrancing him._

 _When Sunny was no longer in Coppermane's field-of-view, a huge smile grew on his face._

 _He did it. He complimented Sunny Flare, and she_ smiled _! Now she knew him more than just the guy who gets jumped every day._

 _Now he had to get to his next class._

* * *

 _Coppermane sat at a lunch table all alone, like normal. He's mostly gotten used to it, telling himself that he'd be bothering other people if he sat with them._

" _Um… Coppermane, right?" a voice said behind him._

 _Coppermane turned around, and his eyes went wide when he saw Indigo Zap standing behind him. AKA, one of Sunny Flare's friends._

" _Oh, um… Indigo Zap, right?" Coppermane said._

" _Yeah," Indigo said. "Listen, my friend Sunny really appreciates the compliment you gave her earlier, and wants to know if you wanted to call her later after school."_

 _Coppermane's heart soared. Was he hearing her correctly?_

" _C-Call her?" Coppermane stammered._

" _Yeah, man," Indigo said. "She told me to come over here and ask if you wanted her number. I can give it to you if you want it."_

 _Coppermane didn't respond immediately, completely dumbfounded by what he was hearing. A smile slowly grew on his face, imagining the possibilities._

" _Do you want her number or not?" Indigo said._

 _Coppermane blinked, breaking out of his trance. "Um… y-yeah, yeah, I'd love her number."_

 _Indigo gave Coppermane her number, and returned to her table. Coppermane glanced over at their table to see Sunny hiding behind her friends, who were… giggling?_

 _Coppermane turned back to his food, and the biggest smile grew on his face. He had Sunny Flare's number! Did she… like him now? No… this was too good to be true. He couldn't stop staring at Sunny's number on his phone, repeating in his head like a mantra to ingrain it in his head._

 _He heard more giggling behind him at Sunny's table, and he couldn't help but snicker himself._

 _Why didn't he compliment her sooner?!_

* * *

 _That night, Coppermane dialed Sunny Flare's number._

 _It rang for a few minutes, and his heart was pounding the whole time. The ringing stopped, but what he heard wasn't Sunny's voice. It was her voicemail inbox._

 _ **AT THE TONE, PLEASE RECORD YOUR MESSAGE. WHEN YOU ARE DONE, YOU MAY HANG UP OR PRESS 1 FOR MORE OPTIONS. *BEEP***_

" _Um… h-hi, Sunny," Coppermane said. "It's Coppermane. Your friend Indigo Zap gave me your number and said you wanted me to call you. I'd love to talk to you, so… call me back… if you want to. Um… b-bye…"_

* * *

 _Coppermane walked down the hall to his next class. He kept his head down as he walked, by force of habit._

" _Coppermane!" a voice said._

 _Coppermane looked around to see a pod of girls looking at him. It was… Sunny Flare and her friends, and it was Lemon Zest who called her out._

" _Look who it is, Sunny!" Lemon teased, making their cluster giggle._

" _Will you girls stop," Sunny said, hiding behind her friends._

 _Coppermane just kept moving, but not before giving a small wave. And for the rest of the day, a huge smile was on his face._

* * *

 _ **AT THE TONE, PLEASE RECORD YOUR MESSAGE. WHEN YOU ARE DONE, YOU MAY HANG UP OR PRESS 1 FOR MORE OPTIONS. *BEEP***_

" _Hi, Sunny. It's me again. You haven't returned my call yet, and I don't know if you forgot or something… but I still really want to talk to you. I mean… you don't_ have _to call me back… but I'd love it if we could talk."_

* * *

 _Coppermane sat at lunch once again, digging into the pizza being served._

" _Hey, Coppermane," a voice said behind him._

 _He looked behind him to see two of Sunny Flare's friends. Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet._

" _You should ask Sunny out," Sugar said._

 _Coppermane's eyes went wide. "I… I should?"_

" _I mean, you did compliment her, and usually after a guy compliments a girl, he asks her out. You didn't, but we're guessing you'll do it later," Sugar said._

" _So… are you going to ask her out?" Sour asked._

" _I mean… I'd love to take her out…" Coppermane said._

" _You should ask her out tomorrow then," Sugarcoat said. "Do it after school. That's when she's in the best mood."_

 _With that, Sugarcoat and Sour Sweet walked away, but Coppermane could hear Sour mumble something to herself, in a much harder voice._

" _Why does_ Sunny _get all the attention?" she mumbled._

 _Coppermane smiled again. Ask her out? It would be an amazing way to end the week tomorrow, and he would love to spend the weekend with Sunny…_

 _Wasting no time, Coppermane opened the internet browser on his phone, and looked up "How to ask a girl out."_

* * *

 _ **AT THE TONE, PLEASE RECORD YOUR MESSAGE. WHEN YOU ARE DONE, YOU MAY HANG UP OR PRESS 1 FOR MORE OPTIONS. *BEEP***_

" _Hey, Sunny. Um… you haven't returned my last call… or the last one… or the last one… um… if you don't want to talk to me, you can just tell me. I-I'll understand, really. Or you can just text me. Wh-Whatever is more convenient for you. But either way, I still want to talk to you… if it's alright with you."_

* * *

" _Alright, Coppermane, you can do this," Coppermane murmured to himself. "This is your moment. You will_ not _be a loser after this. Sunny Flare will be yours."_

 _This was it. He was really going to do it. He could see Sunny Flare all alone by her locker, and Coppermane stood just out of her sight. He held a bouquet of pink roses in his hand, complemented by a short, but hopefully sweet love note._

 _After a pep talk, he was… well, still nervous as all hell. She was just so… beautiful. How could any guy_ not _be nervous?_

 _This was it. He had no idea what was going to happen, but there was only one way to find out._

 _Taking a deep breath, and mustering all the charisma he possibly could, he approached his crush, hiding the flowers behind his back._

" _Um… S-Sunny?" Coppermane said._

 _Sunny turned around. "Oh, hi, Coppermane."_

" _Hi," Coppermane said. "Um… d-did you get my voicemail?"_

" _Oh…" Sunny said. "I don't think I did."_

" _Oh… I-I tried calling you," Coppermane said._

" _I guess I must've been away from my phone," Sunny said._

" _Well, in either case, I-I got… I got these for you," Coppermane said, extending the bouquet out to Sunny._

 _Sunny looked at him quizzically as she accepted the bouquet._

" _Oh… um… thanks…" Sunny said._

" _Y-You're welcome," Coppermane said. "And… I-I also wanted to ask you something. Something I've been wanting to ask for… well… for a long time."_

" _And what is that, dearie?" Sunny asked._

 _Coppermane involuntarily chuckled a bit, giddy at being called "dearie" again._

" _Um… Sunny Flare… w-will you… um…" Coppermane fought hard against the lump in his throat. "W-Will you go out with me?"_

 _Silence filled the hallway. Coppermane's heart rang in his hear as he waited for Sunny's response. After a minute, Coppermane's heart soared when a smile appeared on her face, making him smile too._

 _But instead of a yes… she started laughing. It started as a giggle, but quickly erupted into total hilarity. She was laughing so hard, she fell back against the lockers._

" _I-Is that a yes?" Coppermane asked, but his question only made her laugh harder._

 _Suddenly, Sunny's four friends came from around the corner, laughing just as hard as she was._

" _Oh man!" Lemon Zest exclaimed. "I can't believe it!"_

" _I didn't think he'd actually do it!" Indigo Zap said._

" _I feel bad for laughing at him," Sour Sweet said, before continuing her laughter. "Who am I kidding? I can't stop!"_

" _I can't believe you actually fell for it," Sugarcoat said._

 _Coppermane's heart dropped. "F-Fell for it? Fell for what?"_

 _Sunny eventually calmed down enough to be able to talk again._

" _Do you_ honestly _think a girl like_ me _would go out with a loser like_ you _?" Sunny said._

 _Coppermane's heart shattered like glass. Her words sliced through him like a knife._

" _A… A loser?" Coppermane stammered._

" _Can you imagine going out on a date with_ him _?!" Sour Sweet said._

" _I know!" Indigo Zap said. "Principal Cinch would use that as punishment!"_

 _Coppermane could feel a tsunami of tears build up in his eyes. He fought with every fiber of his being to keep his eyes dry, but every insult cut right through him._

" _Hey, everyone!" Lemon Zest called out. "Come watch my best friend dump this total loser!"_

 _Everyone in the hallways gathered around the pod, and started laughing at Coppermane. It was getting harder and harder not to cry amidst the cacophony of humiliation._

" _B-But… I-I thought… I thought you liked me," Coppermane said. "I… I thought we were friends…"_

 _Sunny and her friends continued to laugh at him._

" _Anyone would be embarrassed to be friends with you," Sunny said. "And you thought I_ liked _you?! How could a girl like_ me _have a crush on a worthless loser like_ you _?"_

 _That was it. Coppermane couldn't fight his tears any longer. The laughter of the students… her friends' insults… Sunny's insults… it was too much. A teardrop fell down his face, followed by many others. He fell to his knees, covering his ears to muffle the cacophony as tears streamed down his face._

" _And I lied. I got every one of your voicemails," Sunny said. "They gave my friends and I a good laugh."_

 _Coppermane held his heart, as if to hold the broken pieces together. His cheeks were red and raw from his tears._

" _I can't believe you actually had the audacity to ask me out," Sunny said. "Don't you know I'm_ way _out of your league?"_

" _But… but Sunny…" Coppermane pleaded, sniffling. "I… I love you."_

 _Sunny's eyes went wide, as did her friends', and they all burst into laughter, even more earth-shaking than the last._

" _Did he really just say that?!" Indigo exclaimed._

" _He's crying!" Lemon said._

" _Of course he's crying," Sugarcoat said. "That's what wusses do."_

" _What a loser!" Sour Sweet said._

 _The hallways began to clear, but the humiliation wasn't over yet. Coppermane saw Sunny's feet approaching him. She flashed a devious smile at him, and threw the bouquet of roses to the ground, proceeding to stomp them flat in front of him. She picked up the leveled bouquet, and slapped Coppermane in the face with them. Some of the rose thorns cut his skin, making his tear-stained cheek bleed. She threw the bouquet down in front of him, and joined her friends in laughing at him._

" _Now, do be a dear, and leave me alone," Sunny said. "I'm_ way _out of your league, and I will_ never _love you."_

 _With that, Sunny and her friends walked away, continuing to laugh at him. Coppermane was left alone on the ground, staring at the flattened bouquet of roses, watering them with his tears._

* * *

Coppermane had his face buried in his knees, sobbing. "It was a lie. It was all one big, stupid lie, and I made a complete fool of myself."

Fluttershy couldn't believe what she was hearing. She thought she had heard the worst of it all. She thought the darkest corners of his past had been illuminated. But she was wrong. There was one final sector, and this was the darkest, and by far the most heartbreaking of all of them.

"You… You poor thing…" Fluttershy said, shedding a tear herself. She threw her arms around Coppermane, and held him tight. "You poor, poor thing…"

Coppermane continued to cry, making Fluttershy's heart rip at the seams. She couldn't bear to see him so sad. So haunted by what happened.

His personality when they first started dating made even more sense now. How could anyone do something so cruel and mean to such a sweet and innocent guy.

"She… she didn't even read the note I wrote. Why am I such a _loser?!_ " he shouted, slapping himself in the face.

"Coppermane! No!" Fluttershy yelled, grabbing his hand. "Don't you _dare_ slap yourself!"

Coppermane said nothing, but broke down and continued crying a moment later.

"Is this why you were scared I was going to leave you?" Fluttershy asked.

"I… I just couldn't help but imagine you waiting till the right moment to… _strike_ ," Coppermane said. "I even had a nightmare where… where you dumped me. I mean… I wouldn't be surprised if you're embarrassed to be seen with me. I mean… who wouldn't?"

Fluttershy gasped. "Coppermane, stop. Stop bullying yourself right now."

Coppermane let out a long sigh, and continued to sob.

"Coppermane, look at me," Fluttershy said, using her hands to make Coppermane look at her. His eyes were red, and his cheeks were raw. His breathing was shaky, and he bit his lip, looking filled with shame. "Listen to me, Coppermane. What happened to you was awful. That girl and her friends were cruel for no reason at all. They don't know you like I do. They don't know you as the sweet, talented guy whom… I've come to love." Coppermane's eyes appeared to light up. "And I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you. I love being with you. You make me feel so loved, and it makes me so happy to show everyone we see how much I love you. And every time I say I love you… I mean it, Coppermane. Believe me when I say that I will _never_ do _anything_ like what those meanies did. I would never hurt you, and will never leave you. You're my prince, and I'll always be your princess. I only wish you could see yourself through my eyes, because then you would see how amazing you are." Fluttershy kissed him on the cheek. "The past is the past. Focus on the present; on _now_. And right now… your princess is here… and she loves you with all her heart."

Coppermane didn't say anything, but instead looked down. He looked nowhere near as sad as he did before, but still shameful. Fluttershy offered a smile.

"Here," Fluttershy said, leaning in to give him a tender, loving kiss. She pulled back, and stroked his cheek. But he still didn't look better.

It looked like it was going to take a lot more to cheer her boyfriend up this time. A smile grew on her face as she lowered Coppermane's knees flat on the bed. Slowly, she straddled Coppermane's legs, placing her hands on his shoulders, and putting on the flirtiest smile she could.

"Um… Fluttershy?" Coppermane cooed. "What are you doing?

Fluttershy rubbed his shoulders. "One kiss didn't cheer you up, which means I have to… try a little harder," she said, tracing his neck.

Coppermane's pupils visibly dilated. "Wh-What do you m—"

"Shh…" Fluttershy put her finger over Coppermane's mouth to silence him. "Just relax…" she said, giving him a kiss. "…and I'll make you feel all better." She did her best to use the sultriest tone she could muster, and kissed him again.

Coppermane felt Fluttershy cup his face, deepening the kiss even further. She spoke in such an amorous tone, and moaned as she kissed him. He tried to find a reason to be sad… but came up blank. All he could think about was Fluttershy's soft, delicious lips. She's _never_ been this flirty with him.

Fluttershy uttered an involuntary moan when she felt Coppermane's arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer. She felt his hands caress her hips, making her moan even more. In a matter of seconds, she felt something that made her giggle. Something foreign, yet pleasurably familiar. Coppermane's tongue. Fluttershy couldn't stop her lips from curling up into a smile even as she continued to kiss him. Her kisses must be working. She wasted no time, and opened her mouth to allow him inside. Their tongues wrestled in euphoric bliss, making both of them groan.

After what felt like an eternity of ecstasy, they pulled away, panting for breath with huge smiles on their faces.

"A-Are you feeling better?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane said nothing, but Fluttershy noticed a devious smile growing on his face.

She squeaked when she felt one of his hands travel down to her butt. She bit her lip as she looked behind her to see Coppermane's hand groping her bottom.

But while she was distracted by the alluring sight of Coppermane touching her, he made another move. Fluttershy gasped loudly, and moaned involuntarily when she felt Coppermane's lips ambush her neck. More involuntary moans escaped her mouth as Coppermane continued to suck on her neck. Fluttershy put up no struggle whatsoever as Coppermane laid her down on her back. He climbed on top of her, straddling her while continuing to kiss her neck, evoking more moans.

He briefly lifted his head. "Much better…" he said, kissing her neck again, "…but I'm not done loving you just yet."

Fluttershy whimpered loudly as Coppermane sucked on her neck. Coppermane has gotten familiar with Fluttershy's weaknesses, and neck kissing was one of them. When he kissed her neck, all resistance was gone, and she was putty in his hands. Completely at his mercy, she could do nothing but let him continue. And she was more than happy to let him do so. She felt a hand travel up her shirt, making her squirm underneath him as he massaged her waist. He moved his other hand up her skirt to caress her thighs. Fluttershy let her body go limp, melting at how good Coppermane was making her feel. Her loud moans were involuntary, as was her quivering at each delicate touch. The loudest moan escaped her mouth when Coppermane used his tongue to lick her neck, going up and down slowly around the nape.

"I love you so much," he whispered voluptuously before continuing his assault on her.

"I... I... I love you too..." Fluttershy cooed, barely able to speak through the euphoria she was experiencing.

Fluttershy laid limp underneath Coppermane as he continued. She swam in a sea of bliss as he licked her neck and massaged her skin in such intimate areas. She was butter.

Their last day of summer... and it was spent being loved by her prince. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **Things got a bit… steamy in the end, I know. Sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I just thought I'd show more of Fluttershy's flirty side. She may be shy, but to help her boyfriend get better, she'll do anything. Whatever, I might also be trying to justify writing something like that. I'm gonna shut up now.**

 **Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!**

 **Peace out.**


	3. Old Flames

**Before we start, I just want to say that the chapters probably won't be nearly as long as they were in** _ **Loveliest of Trees**_ **. That was fun, but it's less practical for publicity. People see the word count, and might be a little intimidated to begin reading. I've been trying to take publicity into account whenever I write, especially when it comes to titles and synopses. And another thing! This is a multi-chapter story, and I've forgotten to thank people for leaving reviews! I must rectify this!**

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter: Silver Writer 0927, bluecatcinema, Fluttershy 2059123, James Birdsong, Starshine89, MMM, and WarHusky2000.**

 **I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I DO own Coppermane and the plot. Enjoy!**

* * *

Before You

Ch.3: Old Flames

Senior year was finally here for the main eight, now nine with the addition of this world's Twilight Sparkle. New classes, new possibilities, and a new start. After a crazy junior year, the group was looking forward to a year of detox before going off to college.

Coppermane stood with Fluttershy in the main foyer, comparing his schedule with hers. Last year, he only had one class and lunch with her. This year, he would rectify that, and Fluttershy had no objections whatsoever.

Unfortunately, the school scheduling system had other plans.

"We have _no_ classes together, other than choir," Coppermane said.

Fluttershy whimpered. "Well, that's fine. At least we'll have passing periods, right?" she said, rubbing Coppermane's shoulder.

"And we'll have choir together," Coppermane said. "I mean… if we get in…"

"When do we know if we got in or not?" Fluttershy asked.

"I think I heard the list was going up before lunch," Coppermane said.

"I just _know_ you got in," Fluttershy said. "I probably didn't. My audition was awful."

"Aw, don't say that. I'm sure you were great," Coppermane said, caressing her cheek. "Did I ever tell you I think you have a beautiful singing voice?"

Fluttershy's face went bright red. "Y-You think so?"

Coppermane nodded, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "The sweetest singing voice I've ever heard. Whenever I hear you sing, it's like I'm in heaven."

Fluttershy giggled nervously to herself, looking away while blushing majorly.

"Oh, I-I don't know about that…" Fluttershy said.

Coppermane chuckled, and gave her a peck. "It'll be fine," he said, giving her a big hug.

Fluttershy lifted her head to look up at Coppermane. He gave her a smile, and leaned in for a kiss. She felt him slightly dip her in his arms, making her moan into his mouth. She didn't even care that everyone who walked by could see her and Coppermane together. When her prince kissed her, all that mattered was him.

He brought her back upright, and pulled away. Fluttershy smiled, and was about to hug him again before the bell rang, signaling the five-minute warning before first period began.

"Well, I guess this is it," Coppermane said.

"Just until passing period, remember?" Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled. "Right. And I can't wait to see you again."

Fluttershy giggled. "Me neither. I'll be thinking about you."

Coppermane smiled. "See you later."

They shared one more kiss before officially parting for the hour. Now it was time to get to his first new class of the day. The sooner he got to class, the sooner he could kiss his princess again.

On his way, Coppermane realized he forgot to say something really important. Only the most important thing in the whole world.

 _ ****Coppermane to Fluttershy, 7:16 AM****_

 _ **One more thing. I love you so much :)**_

 _ ****Fluttershy to Coppermane, 7:18 AM****_

 _ **Aww, I love you too! :D**_

 _ ****…****_

* * *

Finally, it was lunchtime, every high school student's favorite time of the day, aside from the final bell ringing. The main nine sat at their usual lunch table, and were all excited because…

"We all made choir!" Pinkie cheered. "I'm a soprano!"

"I'm a soprano too!" Rarity said.

"Me too," Twilight said.

"I am too," Fluttershy said, receiving a kiss on the cheek from Coppermane.

"I'm so proud of you," Coppermane said.

"I'm so proud of _you_ ," Fluttershy said. "My prince is a bass!"

Coppermane blushed. "Thanks. I was kind of hoping I could be in the same section as Flash, though."

"I didn't choose to be a tenor," Flash said. "You'll be fine, dude."

"I'm guessing that means Rainbow, Sunset, and Applejack are altos then, right?" Twilight asked, to which the three nodded.

"This is wonderful!" Rarity said. "Now we all have a class together!"

The rest of the table cheered. It was a stretch, but the managed to do it. One class with all nine of them together. Even better, an Easy-A class. They could all spend the last period of the day singing together. It was perfect!

"I'm going to go to the restroom really quick," Coppermane said, giving Fluttershy a kiss before getting up and leaving.

"Bye!" Fluttershy said, blowing him a kiss.

"Oh, did you guys hear?" Rainbow asked. "Some more students from Crystal Prep transferred here."

"More?" Rarity asked. "I guess the Friendship Games really damaged their reputation."

"How many?" Sunset asked.

"Six, I think," Twilight said. "That's what my brother told me, at least."

"I wonder who they are," Fluttershy said.

"I'm not sure," Twilight said. "I can't think of anyone who might want to come here. Everyone I knew at Crystal Prep always looked down at CHS."

"Maybe we'll have some classes with them?" Sunset said. "Maybe we'll recognize them from the Friendship Games."

"Were there any familiar names on the choir roster?" Rarity asked.

"Actually… there were five names that I remember," Twilight said.

"Which names?" Applejack asked.

"They were the Crystal Prep finalists in the Friendship Games," Twilight said. "Indigo Zap, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, and Sunny Flare."

Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "S-Sunny _who?_ "

* * *

Coppermane couldn't wait to get back to lunch. Come to think of it, anything involving Fluttershy was something to look forward to.

"Coppermane," a voice said behind him as he exited the restroom.

Coppermane paused. That voice… it sounded so familiar. So _hauntingly_ familiar.

He turned around, and his heart dropped when he saw…

" _Sunny Flare?_ " he cooed, feeling his heart begin to pound.

"Hi, Coppermane," Sunny said.

Coppermane grit his teeth. It wasn't just Sunny; it was _all_ her friends: Indigo Zap, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, and Sour Sweet.

He sighed. "What are you five doing here? Shouldn't you be at Crystal Prep?"

Sunny shook her head. "We're wondercolts now."

" _What?_ " Coppermane said. His eyebrows furled. "If you're here, then where's Neon? Did you transfer just so you could bully me again?"

"Neon is… not our friend anymore," Indigo said.

"What are you talking about?" Coppermane asked.

Lemon sighed. "Ever since the Friendship Games, he's become the biggest jerk in the world."

"He rules Crystal Prep now," Sugarcoat said. "He makes sure everyone listens to him, and when they don't, he sends his 'friends' to beat them up until they do."

"He gives the school a bad name," Sour Sweet said.

"We came to CHS to get away from him," Sunny said. "The Friendship Games pissed him off so much, he's turned on his own friends. He's a monster."

Coppermane sighed. "What is this _really_ about?"

"We're not lying," Indigo said.

"Why don't you believe us?" Lemon asked.

Coppermane's eyes went wide. "Why don't I believe you? Are you serious? After everything you've done to me, after torturing me every day, after making my life miserable, after scarring me for life, you're asking me why I don't trust you?"

Sunny and her friends tried to find the words to say… but came up blank. He was right. Winning his trust after everything they've done to him.

"Just tell me what you guys want to I can get back to my friends and girlfriend," Coppermane said.

"Coppermane, dearie, we were _awful_ to you," Sunny said. "We all were… especially me. But Neon becoming the monster he is has opened our eyes. I speak for all of us when I say… we're sorry. We're sorry for everything we did to you. And… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did to you when you… you asked me out. But if you're willing to give us a chance, we want to make it up to you in any way we can. We're sorry, Coppermane, and we don't want to be your enemies anymore."

Coppermane didn't say a word. The hallways were silent. He studied their faces, and admittedly, they looked serious. But his history with them was a huge factor of making him skeptical.

"Sunny, a couple years ago, you broke my heart," Coppermane said. "I gave my heart to you, and you threw it on the ground and stomped it to pieces. Do you know how much you hurt me?"

Sunny sighed, biting her lip. "I know…"

"I never wanted to hurt you," Coppermane said. "All I wanted was to treat you like a princess. What did I do to deserve getting humiliated in front of the entire school?"

"Nothing," Sunny said. "You did… absolutely nothing."

"So why did you do it?!" Coppermane shouted suddenly. "If you knew it was hurtful, why did you do it? Why did _any_ of you try to hurt me at all? What did I do? Huh?!"

"We don't know!" Indigo shouted.

"All we _do_ know is that we're sorry," Sugarcoat said. "Even if we were anything but nice to you."

"We're all sorry," Sour Sweet said. " _It was mostly Sunny, though_."

"We don't want to hurt you… anymore," Lemon said.

"How can we prove that to you?" Sunny asked. "Is there anything we can do to even begin to make it up to you?"

Coppermane just sneered. "How do I know I can trust you? Last time I trusted you, you scarred me for life. Made me the school loser, and set me up for a whole _year_ of bullying."

"I'm sorry!" Sunny shouted. "I'm sorry… really, I am."

"We all are," Lemon said.

"We don't expect you to forgive us," Sour said.

"Or really at all," Sugarcoat said.

"But we can't take the guilt anymore," Indigo said.

"We'll do whatever we can to make it up to you," Sunny said. "All we ask for… is the benefit of the doubt. We've changed, Coppermane. We're not the same people you knew at Crystal Prep, and we can prove it. Just give us a chance."

Coppermane was silent, processing everything the girls were throwing at him. They wanted forgiveness for everything they've done to him? As much as he didn't want to believe them, there was a look in their eye that spoke… truth.

He bit his lip. Sunny's eyes were honest… but they were honest when he complimented her for the first time too. How could he trust her? How could he give her and her friends a chance after making him cry in front of Fluttershy last night. Made _her_ cry. Making Fluttershy cry is a felony in Coppermane's eyes.

"Sunny, I want to believe you, I really do," Coppermane said. "But I just can't. I can't let you hurt me. And I can't let you hurt my friends… or my girlfriend."

"What?" Sunny said.

"Is there _nothing_ we can do?" Indigo pleaded.

"There has to be _something_ ," Lemon said.

"Anything," Sour Sweet said. " _But probably not_."

"There probably isn't anything we can do," Sugarcoat said. "Considering everything we've done to him."

Coppermane sighed. "Listen to Sugarcoat."

Sunny sighed. "Coppermane, please, is there _anything_ we can do?"

Suddenly the bell rang, signaling the end of the period.

"Sunny, after everything you've done to me, it's going to take a miracle for you to win my trust," Coppermane said. "For _any_ of you."

And with that, Coppermane walked away. He didn't spare the girls another glance, despite their pleading. He couldn't trust them. Not after everything they've done to him. And he had to protect his friends. More importantly, he had to protect his princess. He couldn't bear the thought of Fluttershy being bullied by those girls.

Fluttershy getting hurt wasn't worth taking a chance on his past bullies.

* * *

 **I feel like this chapter is pretty bad. It is, isn't it? I know it is. I felt like it was forced. I think the next chapter will be better, though. Probably not.**

 **Next chapter will be the last one as well.**

 **The choir thing might be somewhat filler, but it hits home for me. Choir was probably the only thing I liked about high school, and it's something I really enjoy doing in college as well. I love being a 2nd Bass. When our section hits that low note and make the room shake, it's** _ **awesome**_ **. I feel so manly, even though I'm not at all like that. Thanks for reading!**

 **Peace out!**


	4. Just Like Old Times

**After a few weeks of writing hiatus, I'm finally back. Thanks for putting up with all my crying and venting. I can't guarantee it'll be over for good, because let's face it, it's not, but I hope I can start to bring you all more content now that I have less on my plate. Not much else to say, so let's get this show on the road.**

 **I don't own any of the MLP FiM characters, but I DO own Coppermane and the plot. Enjoy!**

* * *

Before You

Ch.4: Just Like Old Times

"Sunny, at least you tried, right?" Indigo said, trying to cheer her friend up.

After getting completely shot down by Coppermane, Sunny was broken. She and her friends sat in a hallway alcove as she tried to pull herself together. Sure, they all were mean to Coppermane in the past, but Sunny was the meanest of all, and she knew it.

"Why did I even bother?" Sunny said, her face in her palms. "Why did I ever think he could forgive me?"

"He barely gave us the time of day," Sour Sweet said.

"We _were_ pretty mean to him," Sugarcoat said. "Honestly, it would be a miracle if he did give us a chance."

"Still… looking back… Coppermane was one of the nicest guys I've ever met," Lemon said. "He wasn't like the others at Crystal Prep."

"Yeah," Indigo said. "I figured he might be understanding."

" _How?!_ " Sunny snapped, making her friends flinch.

"Whoa," Indigo said. "Take it easy, Sunny."

"Don't tell me to take it easy!" Sunny yelled.

"Sunny, what's gotten into you?" Sour Sweet beckoned.

"Don't you understand?! We took the nicest guy we know and turned him into a brick wall! What could we possibly say or do to make things better? We hurt him day after day at Crystal Prep, and for what? Because Neon and his posse told us to? We scarred him for life, and we had no reason to. And… _I_ hurt him. I broke his heart. I humiliated him in front of the whole school… and for having a crush on me? For wanting to make me happy? What kind of monster am I?" Sunny buried her face in her palms, crying her eyes out.

Her friends were moved. They've never seen Sunny this broken before. Lemon sat next to her friend, rubbing her shoulder to try and comfort her.

"Sunny, we're _all_ to blame," Lemon said.

"But I hurt him more than any one of you," Sunny said. "It's _my_ fault that he won't forgive us."

"Sunny, we _all_ conspired with you," Indigo said. "We helped you, remember? It wasn't just you. Don't just blame yourself."

Sunny looked up at Indigo, and held herself in her arms. She sniffled as she pondered her thoughts. It was true. It was all one big conspiracy to hurt Coppermane. It wasn't just her. Still… she was the mastermind behind it all.

She sighed. "I just wish he knew how sorry I am."

"Yeah…" Indigo said. "I know. We all do."

"On the bright side, he does seem happy," Sour Sweet said.

"Probably because we didn't go here when he got expelled from Crystal Prep," Sugarcoat said.

Lemon chuckled. "Did any of you find it oddly satisfying when Coppermane beat Neon up?"

The entire group, including Sunny, stifled a laugh.

"It kind of was," Sour Sweet said. " _A little extreme, though._ "

"Neon deserved it," Sunny said. "It was only a matter of time before Coppermane snapped."

"Didn't we see Coppermane's girlfriend at the Friendship Games?" Lemon asked.

"Yeah, we did," Sunny said. Her voice was much calmer now. "She was really pretty. I don't think I've ever seen Coppermane that happy before."

Indigo rose her eyebrow. "Sunny… you don't… like… have a _crush_ on Coppermane, do you?"

"What? Oh, no. No, I don't," Sunny said. "I just… I just want to show him how sorry I am."

"We all do," Lemon said. "I think we all feel bad about what we did to him."

The girls nodded. It would take a miracle for Coppermane to even consider forgiving them.

"But… at least he's happy, right?" Sour Sweet said.

"Yeah…" Sunny said. "I guess…"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sunny's phone rang. She picked it up, and saw "Neon Lights" on the screen.

"What does that jerk want?" Lemon asked.

Sunny just shook her head and put her phone down beside her, letting it ring.

"I don't want to know," Sunny said. "I don't want anything to do with Neon anymore. If it's really _that_ important, he can leave a message."

Everyone remained silent as Sunny's phone rang, before going silent after a minute.

"Maybe he was calling to apologize?" Indigo asked.

"It wouldn't be Neon if it was an apology," Sugarcoat said.

"I guess you're right," Indigo said. "I can't believe we were ever friends with him."

The girls nodded in agreement. Following him and his cult of "friends" was toxic for all of them, and still is for his current followers. He's become a tyrant at Crystal Prep, ruling the student body with an iron fist. In retrospect, he wasn't that likable to begin with anyways. Sunny and her friends were just blinded by the Crystal Prep mindset of always needing to be on top. Why did they ever trust him?

Sunny's phone buzzed beside her. She looked to see Neon's name again, except this time with a voicemail notification.

"It must be important," Sunny said. She picked up her phone, and maxed the volume out so all her friends could hear whatever Neon had to say.

She opened her inbox up, and the message played.

" _You and your friends made a big mistake, Sunny. I know whose fault it is… and he's going to pay. One way or another, he's going to pay."_

Chills ran down everyone's spine. The tone… the phrasing… it was like a ransom message.

"I guess he was bound to find out, right?" Indigo said.

"But… 'he's going to pay'?" Lemon said. "Who's ' _he_ '?"

Sunny's eyes were wide as she stared at her phone. There was only one person she could think of. Only one "he" she knew about whom Neon hated more than _anyone_ else.

"We… we have to find Coppermane," Sunny said.

"What?" Sugarcoat asked.

"We need to find him!" Sunny said. "Before Neon does!"

* * *

"I'll meet you outside in a few minutes, okay?" Coppermane said, holding Fluttershy in his arms. "I forgot some things in my locker."

"Okay!" Fluttershy said. "Don't take too long!"

"I won't," Coppermane said. "See you in a bit."

Coppermane gave Fluttershy a tender kiss before releasing her. Fluttershy went to the school foyer while Coppermane went the opposite direction to his locker.

Honestly, Fluttershy could've come with him to his locker, but not this time. He had a present for her waiting in his locker, and he wanted to surprise her. It wasn't anything big, but it was something Coppermane made with his own two hands. Anything to see that beautiful smi—

" _There_ you are, you son of a bitch!"

Coppermane flinched, and in an instant he was violently pushed to the side. An unseen force grabbed him by the shirt and pinned him up against the locker, elevated off the ground.

His vision refocused, and his heart stopped when he saw _who_ was pinning him.

"N-N-Neon Lights?" Coppermane stammered, his face going completely white.

"Long time no see, you bastard," Neon sneered, slamming him back against the locker.

Coppermane shook his head, trying to refocus himself. He gasped when he saw who _else_ was here. It was Neon's posse: Royal Pin, Jet Set, Trenderhoof, Upper Crust, Suri Polomare, and Fleur Dis Lee.

"Wh-What are you all doing here?" Coppermane stammered. "Wha—"

"We know what you did!" Neon yelled, slamming him into the lockers again.

"Argh… wh-what are you talking about?" Coppermane said weakly.

"Since the Friendship Games, a certain group of girls has been rather… unruly," Jet Set said.

"And now, they've left Crystal prep," Royal Pin said.

"And have become… ugh… _Wondercolts_ ," Trenderhoof said with a shiver.

"Y-You mean Sunny and her friends?" Coppermane stuttered.

"Aha! You _do_ know!" Upper Crust snapped.

"What?" Coppermane said.

"They were so loyal before the Friendship Games," Neon said. "Now they're traitors."

"What does this have to do with me?" Coppermane said.

Neon slammed him into the lockers again. "Because it's all _your_ fault."

" _My_ fault?" Coppermane said. "How is it my—" another slam into the locker silenced him.

"Don't play dumb!" Neon said. "You were the first to leave Crystal Prep and come to this poor excuse for a school. Then Twilight Sparkle. Now Sunny, Lemon, Indigo, Sour, and Sugarcoat! You started it all!"

"They came here by their own will!" Coppermane screamed. "I swear!"

"Nice try, liar," Royal Pin said.

"I think you know what's going to happen now," Jet Set sneered.

"You turned all our friends into traitors," Trenderhoof said. "And now you have to pay."

Coppermane started shaking at the sight of all the guys cracking their knuckles. No… no… it was just a nightmare… right?

"It'll be just like old times," Neon sneered. "Remember? When you went to Crystal Prep? When you were our little play thing? Because I've got news for you… that's all your good for." With an evil laugh… "Royal, catch!"

Suddenly, Coppermane was thrown from Neon's arms into Royal's. Royal didn't catch him, but instead pushed him to the ground, causing him to fall on his stomach. Trenderhoof came and kicked him in the stomach, followed by a blow to the face from Jet Set. Neon kicked him in the side, turning him over on his back before he received another blow to the cheek from Royal. Coppermane coughed up some blood before Jet Set stomped on his stomach. Neon delivered a severe kick to the groin, making Coppermane scream in agony. Royal came around and twisted his arm, making him scream even more. Jet Set and Trenderhoof held Coppermane down as Neon got on top of him and proceeded to punch Coppermane repeatedly in the face.

"How do you like it, you bastard?!" Neon yelled, his face blood red. "How do you like it?! Not so fun when it's _you_ , huh?! This is what you get for humiliating me! _How does it feel?! Nobody gets the drop on Neon Lights! NOBODY!_ "

Fleur, Suri, and Upper just stood there and cheered as the four guys jumped Coppermane. Neon punched him repeatedly. Royal twisted his arms. Jet and Trenderhoof stomped on his legs and feet. The floor around them was dotted with Coppermane's blood. Neon's face was red with rage as he relentlessly punched Coppermane.

"AHH! COPPERMANE!" a voice shrieked from off to the side.

"Get off of him!" another voice said.

In the blink of an eye, the four guys were tackled by four familiar girls, getting them off Coppermane, and finally ending the assault on him.

"You monsters!" another voice said.

Coppermane could barely muster the energy to turn his bloody, bruised head to the side, but through his blurry vision, he could almost make out four familiar girls. Girls whom earlier begged for his forgiveness.

"Coppermane, oh my goodness," a panicked voice said to the side.

That voice… that sweet, musical voice…

Coppermane felt his head being turned to the other side, and what he saw was nothing short of beautiful.

"Fl-Fluttershy?" Coppermane cooed.

"Oh gosh… Coppermane…" Fluttershy cooed, sounding panicked beyond belief. He felt her dragging his limp, bruised body over to the lockers, setting him upright against the cold, hard metal. He couldn't stop the stream of traumatic tears from falling down his face. He felt Fluttershy's arms wrap around him, squeezing him tight. He mustered up all the strength he could to reciprocate. "Don't worry, Coppermane. I'm here. I'm here for you. It's going to be okay."

"You girls?!" Neon snapped. "Get lost! We were busy!"

Coppermane's eyes shot open at the sound of Neon's voice. He could see him staring down Sunny Flare and her friends.

"Busy doing what?! Murdering someone?!" Sunny snapped. "How can you be so cruel?!"

"He has to pay for what he's done!" Neon shouted, walking back towards Coppermane.

Fluttershy's embrace tightened significantly upon seeing Neon approach her.

"Leave my Coppermane alone!" Fluttershy shouted. "Stay away from him!"

"Oh… it's _you_ ," Neon sneered. "His stupid, bimbo girlfriend."

Coppermane heart ignited at Neon's remark.

"What did you just call her?" Coppermane sneered.

"You heard me," Neon said. "And you know what? Anyone stupid enough to fall for someone so worthless should be punished too."

Coppermane used the little strength he had left to tighten his embrace around Fluttershy.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her," Coppermane said.

"Neon, leave him out of this!" Sunny shouted.

"This isn't even his fight!" Lemon yelled.

"Why do you insist on hurting the poor guy?!" Sour Sweet beckoned.

"He did nothing wrong!" Sugarcoat said.

"Let him go!" Indigo shouted.

"Nothing wrong?!" Neon yelled. "He humiliated me in front of the entire school! Now he has to pay."

"You've made your point!" Sunny said. "Leave him alone!"

"Please!" Fluttershy begged. "Don't hurt my prince!"

Neon stifled a laugh, as did the rest of his gang. "Prince? Your _prince?_ "

"Wow, she really _is_ stupid," Royal said.

"How could anyone fall in love with _that_?!" Fleur remarked.

Coppermane felt Fluttershy's arms trembling. But when he looked into her eyes, he didn't see fear. He saw something he's never seen in her eyes. Anger.

"You're way out of his league," Trenderhoof said.

"It should be a crime to give your heart to someone like _that_ ," Upper Crust said.

"I know!" Jet Set said.

"She should be dating one of _us!_ " Royal said. "That's where she belongs."

Neon looked at Fluttershy, making Coppermane tighten his embrace around her.

"Why wait? Why not now?" Neon said. "We're clearly stronger and manlier than your current excuse for a boyfriend. How about you come with _me?_ Someone who can actually protect you, and has the money to buy you anything you want? Why settle for such a loser?"

"HE'S _NOT_ A LOSER!" Fluttershy shouted at the top of her lungs, standing up, clenching her fists.

The entire hallway went silent at Fluttershy's outburst. Such an explosion from such a soft-spoken girl. Coppermane nearly jumped out of his skin. He never knew Fluttershy could be so loud.

"You don't know him like I do!" Fluttershy said, staring Neon and his group down. "You don't know him for the sweet, sensitive guy he truly is. It's because of people like you that he couldn't live a normal life. He was so damaged when I first met him, and he still is. He'll never be able to recover from the scars he has. Scars that _you_ all gave him! How can you be so heartless? How can you be so cruel? All he wanted was a friend! Is that so much to ask?! Is that such a major inconvenience?! Instead of giving him a chance, you go out of your way to hurt him every single day." A tear escaped her eye. "I didn't know it was possible for anyone to be so cruel. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I have half a mind to call the police!"

Coppermane watched in awe. He could make out Fluttershy's profile, and she had the iciest, coldest stare he's ever seen. As scary as her stare was, it was also really… amazing to see her be so intimidating.

"And I don't care what anyone thinks of our relationship," Fluttershy continued. "I don't care what anyone thinks of me. I didn't settle for him. He's anything but a loser. The only losers I see are right in front of me. Coppermane's the sweetest, kindest, most loving and amazing guy I've ever met, and… he's my prince. I love him. I love him so much… with all my heart. And I won't let you meanies hurt him."

The hallway was completely silent. Fluttershy stood in the middle of everyone, her confidence slowly dwindling at the silence. She looked around, and everyone's eyes were wide. But perhaps the widest eyes of all belonged to Coppermane. She bit her lip at the sight of Coppermane's shocked face.

"Oh gosh… Coppermane, I'm so sorry," Fluttershy said. "I don't know what came over me, I just—"

Without warning, Coppermane got up and pulled Fluttershy into one of the most passionate kisses he's ever given her. Fluttershy squeaked in shock, surprised that he had the strength to get up, but quickly melted in his arms with a moan. There was so much lust flowing from his lips, exciting Fluttershy's beating heart with every passing second. All of a sudden, she didn't care about the others watching her.

Coppermane pulled away briefly. "Don't you _dare_ apologize," he said, pulling her into another lustful kiss, this one seemingly more passionate than the last. Fluttershy moaned as she melted in his arms again. If his arms weren't supporting her she would've melted onto the ground. She felt Coppermane dip her, making her giggle into his mouth. Fluttershy's entire mind went fuzzy as she drank in every ounce of passion that poured from Coppermane's warm lips. He hasn't kissed her this passionately since the musical showcase. She felt herself being brought upright. Coppermane tried to pull away, but Fluttershy brought his delicious lips right back into hers, feeling the air between their mouths for only a fraction of a second. She didn't even care that she was making out with him in front of everyone. In fact, she _wanted_ them to watch. She wanted them to see how much she can love her prince. She mirrored every movement of Coppermane's lips, pouring all her love into this passionate kiss. It's been a long time since Fluttershy has felt such lustful euphoria.

After what felt like an eternity, Coppermane and Fluttershy finally parted. Coppermane's eyes were shimmering with affection, making Fluttershy blush. He held both of her hands as he gazed into her eyes.

"After standing up for me like that?" Coppermane said. "After protecting me like that? Don't you _dare_ apologize. That was amazing."

Fluttershy's face went bright red as a big smile grew on her face. "I had to, Coppermane," she said, placing her hand on his heart. "I love you."

Coppermane smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you too. I love you so much." Fluttershy giggled, and gave him a kiss on the cheek in return.

"You always blamed Coppermane, didn't you, Neon?" a voice said off to the couple's side. "You could never blame yourself."

Coppermane and Fluttershy looked beside them to see Sunny Flare and her friends in between them and Neon's gang, forming a protective wall. The couple blushed, almost forgetting about the other people around them.

"Nobody gets the drop on me, Sunny," Neon said, his face visibly red. "You know this."

"And you retaliate by almost murdering him?!" Indigo Zap retorted.

"You're a monster," Lemon Zest said.

"I'm a monster?" Neon said. "All I do is show losers like Coppermane their place, and that I'm better than them."

"You're _not_ better," Sugarcoat said.

"I'd almost consider you a coward for taking the low road and using such brutal violence," Sunny said.

"What've you become, Neon?" Sour Sweet asked. " _Other than a huge jerk_."

"He was the first to leave Crystal Prep to come to CHS!" Neon said. "And then five of our best students follow him here!"

"You think we followed him?" Indigo said.

"Why else would you come to this poor excuse for a school?" Royal asked.

"Just _being_ here is making me feel ill," Jet Set said.

"It's just so… _commonplace_ ," Upper Crust said.

"Crystal Prep students are better," Trenderhoof said.

"It's just a fact," Fleur said.

"Are you all _that_ self-centered?!" Sunny shouted. She looked Neon dead in the eye. "You wanna know the real reason why we came to CHS? To get away from a jerk known as Neon Lights. Are you really so selfish that you can't consider blaming yourself? So selfish that you beat up a poor, innocent guy? Are you _that_ blind to how much of a monster you've become?

Neon stifled a laugh. "Me? A _monster?_ "

"Ever since the Friendship Games, you've become nothing but a jerk!" Sunny said.

"Beating up students who don't follow you," Lemon said.

"Making everyone fear for their life at Crystal Prep," Sour Sweet said.

"Crystal Prep is toxic because of you!" Indigo said.

"You made us ashamed to be Shadowbolts," Sugarcoat said.

Neon's face was red with anger. But the five girls weren't done.

"Coppermane didn't deserve anything we gave him," Indigo said.

"We were horrible to him for no reason at all," Lemon said.

"I can't believe how cruel we were," Sour Sweet said. " _All because of you_."

"Well, mostly Sunny," Sugarcoat said.

Sunny just sighed at her friend's bluntness. But she couldn't bring herself to scold her. She knew it was true.

"What I did to him was horrible, and myself along with all of us see the error of our ways," Sunny said. "I didn't expect him to accept our apologies, but that won't stop us from protecting him from monsters like you," she sneered, staring at Neon and his gang with ice-cold eyes.

" _Ahem_ " Coppermane grunted behind them, making everyone look in his direction.

Fluttershy was about to question what Coppermane was doing, but she lost her train of thought when he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, making her moan and melt in his embrace as he squeezed her.

"Neon… I want to thank you," Coppermane said. "All of you."

"For _what?_ " Neon sneered.

"For all the bullying. Because every time you jumped me… every time you humiliated me… every time you got me into trouble… it was just another step down the path leading me to my princess."

Fluttershy gasped, her eyes going wide. She looked up at Coppermane, and saw nothing but affection in his eyes.

"Look at her, Neon," Coppermane said, making Fluttershy blush. "Look at what you can't have. The sweetest, kindest, most beautiful, most amazing girl in the world. She's all mine… and you can't have her. _None_ of you," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I was hiding her from all of you before, trying to protect her. But I'm not going to hide her any longer. Now, I want to show her off. I want to show everyone why I'm happy. I want to make people like you jealous that I have such an amazing girl like her. I'm going to show the world how much I love my princess. Starting right now…"

Before Fluttershy could even think, Coppermane dipped her and met her lips in another passionate kiss, making her melt in his arms. In only a few seconds, he brought her back upright and pulled away.

"Oh my…" Fluttershy cooed giddily, giggling to herself with a flirty smile, quite taken from the sudden display of love.

"Thank you, Neon," Coppermane said. "If it weren't for you and your friends, I never would've met the girl of my dreams."

Fluttershy held back tears at Coppermane's words. "Coppermane, do you really mean that?"

Coppermane lifted his hand to caress her cheek, evoking a moan from her as she leaned into his hand.

"I meant every word," Coppermane said. "Everything that happened to me just brought me closer and closer to you, Fluttershy. Thanks to them… I have you… and my world is beautiful. Almost as beautiful as you."

A big smile graced Fluttershy's face as a tear finally escaped her eye. His words were just so… romantic.

"Aww… Coppermane," Fluttershy said. She lifted her head to give him a kiss before pulling him into a big hug.

Sunny giggled at the sight of the happy couple.

"Coppermane's happy, Neon. All because he doesn't have to deal with you anymore," Sunny said.

Neon's face was bright red, and his fists were clenched. He and his gang did _not_ look amused in the slightest. But that only made Sunny and her friends smile.

"Now, I suggest you and your cult get out of here," Sunny said. "And if we ever see you hurting Coppermane, or _any_ of his friends again, we _will_ call the police."

"This isn't over!" Neon shouted before stomping away, followed by his gang.

Sunny smiled, and saw equally satisfied faces on her friends. A wave of relief washed over all of them. It was over. She looked over at Coppermane, in the middle of a big hug with Fluttershy.

"Are you okay, Coppermane?" Sunny asked.

Coppermane looked at Sunny, and his eyes weren't ice-cold like before.

"Yeah, I think so," Coppermane said, releasing Fluttershy from his arms. Studying him closer, his body was incredibly bruised, and he appeared to have a black-eye. His clothes were a bit blood-stained, and his shirt seemed torn around his waist.

"I'm so happy you're safe," Fluttershy said, giving him a side hug.

Coppermane held her in his arms, and looked at Sunny.

"Um… thanks for saving me," Coppermane said. "Neon came out of nowhere."

"No problem," Sunny said.

"I guess you were right about Neon," Coppermane said.

"We're sorry, Coppermane," Indigo Zap said.

"We didn't know he'd be willing to come down here just to jump you," Lemon Zest said.

"We told you he was a monster," Sugarcoat said.

"I can't believe him," Sour Sweet said. " _The nerve_."

"How did you guys know where to find me?" Coppermane asked. "For that matter, how did you even know about Neon?"

"Well… I got a voicemail from him," Sunny said, pulling her phone out to play Neon's voicemail for the couple. "You're the only guy I know of whom he hates, and I knew we had to find you as quickly as possible. We found your girlfriend and figured she'd know where you were."

"Good thing we found you when we did," Indigo said.

"You… You wanted to protect me?" Coppermane asked.

"Coppermane, we weren't kidding when we said we wanted to make it up to you," Sunny said. "We had no right to be so mean to you. When we found out Neon might try to hurt you again, we just had to stop him."

"Thank goodness," Fluttershy said. "Who know what would've happened to you?"

Coppermane wasn't sure what to think. His former enemies really cared about him that much?

"We're really sorry about Neon, Coppermane," Sunny said. "I guess it's partly our fault that he came down here."

"Maybe we shouldn't be trusted." Indigo said.

"Yeah…" Lemon said. "If we're just going to get you hurt…"

Coppermane smiled. If they really cared about him enough to protect him like this…

"Girls, have I formally introduced you to my girlfriend, yet?" Coppermane asked.

The girls' eyes went wide.

"Wait… what?" Sunny asked.

"Well, I think it only makes sense to introduce my girlfriend to my friends, right?" Coppermane said.

Smiles grew on the girls' faces.

"Wait, you trust us now?" Indigo asked.

"Are you really giving us a chance, Coppermane?" Sour Sweet asked. " _Is he serious?_ "

"It's gonna take a while to fully gain my trust, but after standing up for me like that? After pretty much saving my life? You girls have earned the benefit of the doubt," Coppermane said, making the girls smile. "Besides, I've learned from a… _certain_ someone… that everyone deserves a chance," he said, giving Fluttershy a kiss on the cheek, making her blush.

"Coppermane… thank you," Sunny said.

Coppermane smiled, and introduced Fluttershy to everyone. Sunny recognized Fluttershy as the one she saved from falling into the rift during Twilight's rampage at the Friendship Games. All of them recognized her as one of the Wondercolts' archers during the Friendship Games.

"Thank you so much for saving my Coppermane," Fluttershy said.

"No problem," Indigo said.

"Anytime," Lemon said.

"Well, we all need to get going," Sunny said. "I guess we'll see you later then, right?"

"Yep," Coppermane said.

"You won't regret this, Coppermane," Sunny said. "Thank you so much, again."

"No problem," Coppermane said.

"Goodbye!" Fluttershy said.

With that, the five former Shadowbolts left the couple alone.

Fluttershy pulled Coppermane into a big hug.

"I'm so happy you're safe," Fluttershy said, nuzzling his chest.

"Me too," Coppermane said.

"Did you at least get what you needed from your locker?" Fluttershy asked.

Coppermane perked up. "Oh, I almost forgot."

He led Fluttershy over to his locker.

"I was going to surprise you with something, but this will be fine too," Coppermane said.

"Oh?" Fluttershy said. "A present?"

Coppermane nodded as he turned the combination lock on his locker. He unlocked it successfully, and opened the door. He reached in and pulled out a single red prop rose, made out of pipe-cleaners and red-painted paper.

"Oh, how cute!" Fluttershy said.

"We learned how to make these in my technical theater class today," Coppermane said. "I borrowed some of Rarity's perfume to make it smell like an actual rose. I mean… it's not much, but… do you like it?"

"Aww! Of course I do!" Fluttershy said, happily accepting the rose. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It's adorable! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome," Coppermane said. He was about to say something else before he was interrupted by a sharp pain in his abdomen, making him grunt.

Fluttershy whimpered and cupped Coppermane's face. "You poor thing. Let's get you home so I can take care of you."

"Fluttershy, you don't have to," Coppermane said.

"Coppermane, don't be silly. You're hurt. I want to do everything I can to make you feel better. I won't take no for an answer. I think you know that," Fluttershy said with a sweet smile.

Coppermane chuckled. Fluttershy has gotten a lot sassier since he first met her. But he didn't mind one bit. It was actually really cute.

"Not before I buy you lunch, though," Coppermane said.

"Oh, Coppermane, you don't have to do that," Fluttershy said.

"After standing up for me like that?" Coppermane said. "There's no way I'm not going to reward you for that."

"Coppermane, we need to get you home as soon as possible," Fluttershy said. "You're hurt so badly."

"We go through a drive-thru then. One way or another, I'm buying you lunch, Fluttershy," Coppermane said. "I won't take no for an answer."

Fluttershy couldn't help but laugh. Touché.

"You're so silly," Fluttershy said.

Coppermane smiled, and gave Fluttershy a tender kiss, making her moan.

"Ready to go?" Coppermane said.

"Mmmhmm!" Fluttershy said.

"Want a ride?" Coppermane asked.

"What?" Fluttershy asked, giggling. "You're already giving me a ride, silly."

"I didn't mean home," Coppermane said. "Just say yes."

Fluttershy rose an eyebrow quizzically. What was he planning? Regardless, how could she say no to such an adorable face?

"Um… okay. Y-Yes?" Fluttershy asked.

Before she could think, Coppermane scooped Fluttershy up into his arms, carrying her bridal style. A big smile grew on Fluttershy's face.

"Oh my…" she cooed.

Coppermane's arms were bruised and a little sore, but not sore enough to render him unable to carry his beautiful princess to the car. He smiled as she wrapped his arms around her neck, nuzzling him.

"I love you so much," Fluttershy said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Coppermane turned his head to meet Fluttershy's lips, feeling her relax in his arms. He pulled away, and saw nothing but affection in her eyes.

"I love you more," he said, earning another kiss on the cheek from her.

With that, Coppermane made his way out to the car, carrying his beautiful girlfriend in his arms.

Sunny Flare was Coppermane's friend now. It would take a while for her and her friends to earn his trust, but after today he was more than willing to give them a chance. This year was definitely going to be interesting.

Before Fluttershy, there was Sunny Flare. But Sunny Flare wasn't the one. It was better and probably healthier for them to just be friends.

Now, Coppermane has Fluttershy, and he loved her more than anything else in the world. She was all his, and much like Fluttershy herself, life was beautiful.

THE END

* * *

 **And that's the end of this short story! This will bridge the gap between** _ **Loveliest of Trees**_ **and** _ **Colors of the Sun**_ **, the latter of which I am still trying to get off hiatus, but I'm still drawing a total blank. I have an OC to use, but I have to figure out how to integrate him into the plot. I'll think of something. In the meantime, look forward to (probably) Applejack's fluff oneshot coming up next. All reviews are** _ **greatly**_ **appreciated, so don't forget to leave one!**

 **Peace out.**


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